Almost 1 in 4 Americans Say Their Garage is Too Cluttered to Fit Their Car

BENTON HARBOR, Mich., June 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The garage serves a lot of purposes, with the primary function of housing cars. For approximately one out of four Americans, the garage is so unorganized it can't even fit one car, according to an April 2015 homeowner survey from Gladiator® GarageWorks, a leader in garage organization and storage systems. And with an average cost of a new car just above $30,000[1] the inability to house and protect this investment in your own garage can be an issue.

Photo courtesy Gladiator GarageWorks

"People take great pride in their homes – organizing, decorating and showing off various rooms of their house, especially on social media," said Karl Champley, master builder and home improvement TV/radio personality. "But the garage is the forgotten room of the home and those same people who are proud of their home are embarrassed by how the garage looks."

While 92 percent of homeowners surveyed described their home as somewhat or very organized, one fourth of them admitted embarrassment with the garage and nearly one third said they keep their garage door shut so others won't see the mess.

In fact, the survey found that one out of five homeowners have actually gotten into an argument with their spouse about the organizational state of their garage.

Champley suggests a few tips that can help homeowners prepare for the ultimate battle against clutter, get their garages in good shape and keep the peace at home:

Have a Game Plan

The garage can be many different things to different homeowners, but the bottom line is to determine what the garage needs to be used for. While a majority of people use it for parking the car and household storage, the survey found that many people use their garage for hobbies and personal projects. Of those surveyed, 27% of people use the garage for hobbies, while others use it to work on cars (23%), do projects such as woodworking or carpentry (19%) or as an area for exercise or sports (13%).

Try dividing your garage into "zones" with specific areas for lawn and garden equipment, sporting goods, tools and other hobbies. Once a plan is established, it is much easier to begin the organization process. An easy-to-use online design tool is available at www.gladiatorgw.com that helps homeowners envision how their garage space can be organized.

Take Pride in the Garage

An ideal garage organization system grows with homeowners as they grow, while providing functional, flexible storage options for a number of different products.

"Some people take great pride in the brand of car they drive, the brand of lawnmower they ride or the tools they own, but may not put that same amount of pride into how they store those expensive items," said Champley. "You really want to make sure you take the same pride in garage storage as you do with the items you are storing."

Eliminate the Waste

Clutter is one of the biggest issues with garage organization. The survey found that one third of homeowners don't even know what is stored in their garage. Holding a garage sale or dropping off boxes of donated items to a community donation center are two great ways to recycle unused items. Homeowners should remember that disposing of old paint containers or automotive fluids should be done properly. The bottom line is to get as many unused items out of the garage as possible.

Maximize the Space

Three out of four homeowners surveyed said they wish their garage was better organized. One way is to have a garage storage solution that takes advantage of the wall space that garages provide.

"Getting items like boxes and bikes off of the garage floor with modular hooks and shelving is a big plus for homeowners," said Champley. "It frees up significant floor space for cars and other items."

With these four tips in mind – developing a game plan, taking pride in the garage, eliminating waste and maximizing space – tackling a garage organization project should be much easier.

Additional organizational tips, ideas, and product solutions are available at www.gladiatorgw.com.

Homeowner Garage Stats

By the Numbers

92%

Describe Home as Very/Somewhat Organized

25%

Embarrassed by Inside of Garage

30%

Keep Garage Door Shut So Neighbors Don't See the Mess

74%

Wish the Garage Was Better Organized

34%

Don't Know What is Stored in the Garage

23%

Can't Fit the Car in the Garage

30%

Either Never Organize Their Garage or Only Do It Every Few Years

About Gladiator® GarageWorks

Gladiator® GarageWorks by Whirlpool brand is a leader in garage organization and storage systems, delivering innovative solutions that allow homeowners to reclaim space in ways that suit their needs, lifestyles and design aesthetic. Gladiator brand offers pre-assembled and ready-to-assemble lines of modular workbenches, cabinets, wall systems, shelving, tool storage, appliances and flooring. Gladiator brand products are sold through local garage dealers, retailers such as Sears and Lowe's, and at www.GladiatorGarageWorks.com.